Parcelforce Compensation

[-Ryan-]

Hello all,

I'm having a bit of a problem getting a package from Parcelforce. The parcel was being delivered internationally. It has been in the UK since Tuesday afternoon (25th). The parcel was then taken by customs which is fair enough, and they have unfortunately put charges on it , which again I suppose is fair enough. The package left customs on Thursday afternoon (27th). It was then moved to the second Parcelforce hub at Coventry for the national parcel system. It is still there today (29th) despite being a guaranteed 24 Hour delivery service. As it is now Saturday afternoon, it is impossible that the parcel will arrive before Monday (31st). That is five days since they had it returned from Customs. Discounting Sunday, that is four. My problem arises in that on the Parcelforce website it states:

When our delivery speed guarantee does not apply

• The consignment is held up in a customs clearance process
• There are customs duties and/or taxes payable on the consignment

The package was held up in Customs, as I've said, and it also has taxes payable on it. However, it is now going to be four days since it left that process, and it hasn't even made it to the city I live in, let alone been delivered. This is just bad service, which I think is inexcusable.

So, is it possible that I can claim back the compensation, or will they use this as a loophole to avoid refunding?

Thanks!

 

[niuniu]

Depends who you deal with. Get a decent bloke and he'll refund you, get a miserable jobsworth and you'll get nothing.

I'm having a similar issue with some cowboy outfit called Fastway at the moment. They have some guy riding around in a van with my parcel. Been there for days now, God knows what he's doing with it. The customer service is appalling.. don't get me started, but I'm trying to get my 8 quid back.

 

[AppleMatt]

Interesting problem! I agree your best bet is to ring, not write, and hopefully explain how unfair/absurd the outcome would be to deny you compensation.

A strict literal reading of the terms does not exclude your claim, in my opinion, because it says 'when' and not 'if'; 'when' seem to indicate only the time customs has it, whereas 'if' would suggest a blanket exclusion of all subsequent delays.

Do they have a general compensation system, or would you also hae to show you suffered a loss as a result of the delay?

AppleMatt

 

[-Ryan-]

Do they have a general compensation system, or would you also hae to show you suffered a loss as a result of the delay?

Thanks for the reply. I would tend to agree with you that the wording of the agreement is perhaps slightly hazy and not particularly favourable to Parcelforce in this situation. At least in the first instance. But customs charges are obviously applied for the duration of their having the parcel, so that takes away from the strength of that argument.

They do have a general compensation system in which they refund 100% of the postage costs, which in this case are ~£15. I haven't suffered any loss as a result of the delay, other than been disappointed by the service which was paid for specifically because it is an express service.

Does anyone else have any experience in dealing with Parcelforce claims?

 

[ddiogyn]

I had a similar problem when i ordered a tablet stylus from the US, which was delivered by Parcelfarce.

After much wrangling, checking with HMRC, and writing to the Guardian consumer pages (!), i gave in to their extortion and paid up, the tax amounting to a third of the cost of the item.

They claim that the 'levy' is to recoup the time and resources they have spent filling out HMRC paperwork and paying the fees (which are substantially less than they charge you) on your behalf. After paying i did write to them requesting an itemised account of how much it actually costs them, but never received a response.

 

[-Ryan-]

So I phoned them this morning again, and they told me that the parcel has now reached Belfast but would not be dispatched until tomorrow morning. I just said I was fed up, and if they couldn't do the service themselves, I'd come and pick it up. So they're getting it ready now and I'll head up shortly. I'll post an update when I return.